Shinji Eat World
by AngelsDeservetoDie
Summary: Shinji decides that a school talent show may be just the thing to capture the heart of Asuka Langley Sohryu. Rated T for minor language and some suggestive themes later on.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Shinji Eat World

I don't own anything but the plot line.

Timeline: After the infamous kiss scene but considerably before the 'shit hit the fan.'

It was a typical day in class 4-A, nothing but the morose droning of the second impact lecture disturbing the thoughts which raced through a young Shinji Ikari's mind. The object of his affection, one Asuka Langley Soryu sat just several chairs behind, yet she had never been so far away.

That morning at the Katsuragi household had not been a good one, what with Shinji sleeping well past his alarm and forgetting to make both breakfast and lunch. All he had heard was a string of constant german insults and crude remarks all along the way to school.

Though, something had caught his eye as he walked into the classroom; it was a small, yet colorful poster advertising a school-wide talent show. The competition apparently had several different categories including musical performances, dance, and other unique skills. Shinji deftly snatched the page from the wall and folded it into his pocket.

All day long fanciful images of himself performing to the whole school and dazzling the german redhead played over and over in his mind.

A balled fist hit Shinji's shoulder and suddenly snapped him back into reality.

"Hey Shinji! What the hell are you doing let's get outta here, the bell rang five minutes ago!" shouted Touji impatiently.

"Alright, alright, I just have a lot to think about that's all," said a dazed Shinji.

"Geez, what a drama queen," Touji replied with a smirk.

Kensuke, Shinji, and Touji left the school building hurriedly.

"Aren't you walking the wrong way Shinji? You're apartment is that way."

"Well, I sort of wanted to ask you guys something."

"Yeah go ahead shoot."

--30 seconds later outside of Kensuke's house.--

"WHAAT!! I totally knew it! I knew it!" exclaimed Touji excitedly.

"Yeah, I do like Asuka, I just don't know how to impress her or tell her how I feel."

"Well Shinji, I understand why you're telling us this, but what can we do to help," asked Kensuke.

Shinji started unfolding the poster.

"Oh God, you want us to perform in a stupid talent show?!" Touji exclaimed.

"Touji, remember he does save the world on nearly a daily basis."

"Alright fine, but I'm not dancing or anything like that."

They proceeded into Kensuke's house to strategize how exactly to go about putting on a show that Asuka Langley Soryu would not soon forget.

"First off, performing in a talent show implies that we have some sort of talent. Any ideas?" asked Kensuke.

"Well I play around on guitar; I started playing for my sister in the hospital after she got hurt. She always liked music and so I guess I was just trying to make her smile. It's really nothing special," responded Touji.

"Hold that thought Touji." Kensuke disappeared down the hall and emerged a few seconds later cradling a sunburst Gibson Les Paul in one hand and a mini-amp in the other.

"My dad used to play this a lot, but he doesn't seem to have any use for it anymore."

"Well Touji show us what you can do," Shinji mumbled with just a faint hint of sarcasm.

"Alright here goes"

And with that, Touji's fingers flew over the frets and soon the melodic sounds of the opening measures of Sweet Child O' Mine by the pre-second impact band Guns N' Roses screamed through the room. Touji skipped straight to the guitar solo, but suddenly muted the strings as he noticed the blank expressions of his two friends.

"What's up guys? Do I really suck that bad?" Touji murmured.

"Umm…n-n-no…w-wow," Shinji replied in dumbfounded awe.

"That was _AWESOME_! A little out of tune, but _DAMN!_" shouted Kensuke.

"I've been playing for a few months, but I had no idea I was any good."

"A few months?! Ok well I'd say we definitely have something to work with," said Kensuke.

"What about you Kensuke? Can you play anything?" asked Shinji.

"The school has a drum set that I used to play on in band last year, but I'm not that good, that's why I quit band."

"That leaves you, Shinji. If you want to impress the red-headed she-devil, you're going to have to do something really special."

"Yeah, no pressure Shinji," Kensuke grinned.

"Well, I play cello, but that's really it, I've never even thought about trying anything else. I can't see how that would help us."

"Guys, what do you get when you turn a cello horizontal?"

"Oh, I got it, he could play the cello on its side and it would be cool and original! Right?"

"Umm, not really Touji. You get a bass guitar! Well, not exactly but the notes are almost just the same. We can borrow the school's and Shinji can learn it in his apartment."

"When exactly is this."

"Ugh, that might be a problem, it's in three weeks. I would suggest a montage, but that seems out of the question," laughed Kensuke.

"You'll be the singer too Shinji. Knowing psycho-bitch, she won't be impressed with anything less."

"Yeah, I know, I know. So, let's meet in the band room tomorrow after school and start practicing right away."

"Just one thing Shinji, what song _ARE _we playing?"

"Err, I guess I hadn't given that much thought. I'll let you guys know tomorrow."

Shinji walked quickly back to the Katsuragi apartment with his mind full of infinite possibilities. He glanced down at his watch and muttered an 'Oh Shit!' as he realized how late it was. He stopped by the corner store and picked up some frozen dinners for Asuka and Misato. When he reached the apartment, he closed the door quietly behind him and walked slowly into the kitchen.

"Where the _HELL_ have you been you _DUMMKOPF. _First, you forget to make both of our lunches and _THEN_ you completely flake out after school and don't come home to cook dinner. You are so _STUPID!_" yelled the very angry redhead.

Shinji crossed the distance to the kitchen table where Asuka stood and placed the frozen dinner in front of her and quickly exited the room without a word.

"You expect me to eat _THIS_! Du, du verdammter _ARSCHLOCH!"_

"G-night Asuka," was all Shinji said as he closed the door and prepared to drift off into a pleasant night's sleep. However, Shinji had not noticed that as he placed the frozen dinner in front of Asuka, a neatly folded advertisement had fallen out of his pocket and onto the wooden table.

Asuka sat alone at the table looking at the frozen dinner before her. 'Of course I already ate, I'm not helpless, I don't have to rely on that _idiot_ for everything,' she thought casually picking up the frozen dinner and moving to put it in the freezer, but she stopped as she unexpectedly revealed a folded piece of paper situated alongside the frozen meal. 'Hmm, what's this, a school talent show? Well, well, well, so Shinji wants to show the world how great he is. Fine, well let's see if the invincible third child can beat _me._"

Meanwhile in Shinji's room, as fate would have it, Shinji Ikari would not end up dreaming peacefully.

The Shinji Ikari within the dream world found himself standing in an all-too-familiar hospital hallway. Yet, something was amiss. This was not the same Nerv ICU he was accustomed to. No, this was a VERY different place. He crept slowly and cautiously down the white linoleum flooring towards the sounds of soft sobbing that seemed to emanate from nearby.

Shinji rounded the first corner he came to only to find a little girl with long auburn hair staring intently into what appeared to be an observation room. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she watched the subject within.

Shinji paced over to the window and looked inside. What he saw shook him visibly; a grown woman cradling a doll sat atop the white sheets of the hospital bed. She stroked the doll's hair while speaking inaudibly to the lifeless plaything.

Shinji glanced back down at the little girl before him, "Excuse me, but-" his words caught in his throat as the image of the little girl looked up at him with hatred in her eyes.

"What are YOU doing here, of all people, has the great Shinji Ikari come to pity me?!"

"N-n-no," it all became suddenly clear that while the body of Asuka the child stood before him, it was not a child's mind which commanded her lips.

Shinji not knowing what to do when faced with the irate child version of Asuka, began to back away slowly, as if to escape.

"Go ahead, run away like you always do, you never _understood_ me, you won't even _HOLD_ _ME!"_ she shrieked_._

But then, as if the storm of the century had suddenly ceased, the young girl stopped her rant and offered out her arms to embrace Shinji.

"Please..." she begged, "Hold me, just this once, please."

Shinji desperately wanted to run to the girl's side, hold her in his arms and tell her everything would be ok, but just at that moment he seemed to lose control of his legs as they began to run with incredible speed away from the tormented girl. 'How could this be happening, I'm still running away, what am I doing?' But it seemed that Shinji's mind held no sway over his legs as he sprinted down the hall, out of the hospital and into the cold night where only a single shrill wail from Asuka's lungs pierced the darkness.

"Whoa!" Shinji awoke with a start, caked in sweat. 'That was one weird dream,' thought Shinji. He got out of bed and stumbled into the shower, but, one thing still troubled him, in his dream he had still run away. Shinji looked into the mirror and mumbled quietly to himself,"Asuka, I do understand, I just can't say it."

A knock at the door shook Shinji out of his reverie.

"Umm what are you doing in there Shinji?" asked a confused Misato.

"Err… taking a shower."

"Well it's 4:30 in the morning."

Shinji mentally slapped himself and replied:

"Umm, Oh, well I forgot to shower before I went to bed."

"O, sure, ok, well I have to leave early for work; it seems your fa- ... the commander never sleeps."

Shinji returned to his room soon after, but found himself unable to relax. He decided to make the lunches and get to school a little early to think about the song. He left Asuka's lunch on her placemat and headed out into the pre-dawn darkness.

-End Chp 1

A/N - Please review let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Shinji arrived at the school and wandered the dark corridors for a while before glimpsing a light at the end of the hall. Before long, Shinji found himself standing awkwardly at the entrance to the school's band room.

"Well if it isn't the savior of the free world, Mr. Ikari. What can I do for you at this early hour?" asked the school's young band teacher, who bore a striking resemblance to a clean-cut Kaji.

"Err, well sorry Mr. Okazawa, please excuse the intrusion."

"Oh, no problem at all Mr. Ikari, I just got here a little early today to sort out some of the new music, you're welcome to make yourself at home."

"Mr. Okazawa, is it alright if I look through some of your CD's, see my friends ..er band is playing at the talent show and we don't really have a song yet."

"You're more than welcome, but most of those are pre-second impact songs, I'm not really a big fan of the new stuff. You'll find some of my favorites at the top of the first drawer."

Shinji opened up the filing cabinet and carefully slid the wooden drawer from its frame. Shinji was awed at the sheer volume of music cd's from what must have been hundreds of different artists. Shinji, not knowing what to look for given such a wide selection, simply grabbed the top few cd's and sat down near the stereo at the front of the room.

"Sensei, do you mind?"

"Not at all, and just call me Daisuke," responded the teacher.

Shinji cracked open the first case, which read 'Futures' by a band named Jimmy Eat World. The stereo system hummed to life and soon music filled the spacious room, reverberating off of the contoured walls as the album's contents sprang to life. Shinji skipped through the album slowly taking in each song, but found that he didn't connect with any of them, that was until he reached track 11.

The mellow intro notes tore at his heart. Before the lyrics even began, he knew it had to be this song, which so perfectly voiced the unspoken anguish and burning longing in his heart.

_I felt for sure last night  
That once we said goodbye  
No one else will know these lonely dreams  
No one else will know that part of me  
I'm still driving away  
And I'm sorry every day_

_I won't always love these selfish things  
I won't always live...  
Not stopping..._

It was my turn to decide  
I knew this was our time  
No one else will have me like you do  
No one else will have me, only you

You'll sit alone forever  
If you wait for the right time  
What are you hoping for?  
I'm here I'm now I'm ready  
Holding on tight  
Don't give away the end  
The one thing that stays mine

The song ended, and Shinji knew turned over the CD case to reveal the title of the song. Finding track 11 quickly, he knew that he would have to perform "23" at the talent show.

"You really like that one don't you Shinji?" asked Daisuke.

"Yeah, I guess I do, I feel that it really connects with me and what I'm trying to say"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you see, I'm not using this talent show just for the chance to perform..."

"Aha, a girl eh? You want to impress a girl don't you Shinji?"

"Well it's not just any girl, and she's not easily impressed."

"From what I know about you Shinji, it doesn't seem like there is any girl that you couldn't date."

"Well, like I said this isn't just any girl, it's Asuka" sighed Shinji.

"Shinji, I have to give you props, when you shoot high, you shoot for the stars" laughed Daisuke.

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," Shinji remarked with a frown.

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that, but if you need any help I'll do anything in my power to win you Asuka's heart."

"Well I appreciate that" shinji looked down at his watch and gasped at how much time had flown by, class was just minutes away. "Crap, thanks a lot Daisuke gotta go!"

Shinji gathered his book bag and turned to leave.

"Hold on Shinji," thrusting another jewel case into Shinji's hand, Daisuke spoke, "Give this one a listen too, you never know when you may just need an encore."

Shinji looked down at his open hand and saw that it was a self titled album also by the band Jimmy Eat World.

"I think you'll like some of those."

Shinji nodded and hurriedly walked from the band room down the corridor to class 4-A where class was about to begin, while proudly toting his new source of inspiration.

Class droned on and on without reprieve. Asuka sat slumped in her chair apparently counting the ceiling tiles. Kensuke had somehow managed to integrate his 'Playstation 7' into his laptop and was in the midst of another 'Dynasty Warriors 18 Supreme Xtreme Legends' battle. Toji just sat back in his chair and strummed chord progressions on his imaginary guitar. Shinji leaned back in his chair and focused his thoughts on the future. His gaze wandered back towards Asuka's desk. Asuka dropped her gaze and stared into his eyes at first with a soft look of confusion, which suddenly turned into an irate expression of annoyance. Shinji quickly averted his gaze, rather comically, to an indistinct spot on the wall next to Asuka, as if to hide his blatant stare.

Asuka regarded Shinji in a strange light, 'What was that all about?' she though, then she accidentally yelled, "_TURN AROUND IDIOT_!"

The Sensei perked up from his slouch, "Ahem, is there anything I can help you with, Asuka?"

"Umm, no sensei," mumbled the embarassed redhead.

"Very well then, moving on to chapter appendix BXXII..."

Shinji shrunk down to his neck in his seat. 'This may not work after all, _no_, it will work it _HAS_ to work'


	3. Chapter 3

Finally the school bell rang and ended what seemed like the most interminable day of Shinji's life. He gathered his belongings and moved across the room towards the door and the freedom lying just beyond its frame.

A flash of auburn obscured his view and he found himself confronted by an impatient redhead.

"Well, are you coming or not, Shinji!!" Asuka shouted.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming just give me a second, my legs won't move; I think I've got a blood clot."

Asuka looked mortified, "_EWW, YOU ARE SUCH A PERVERT!!"_

"Well, it's not _THERE!"_

Kensuke squeezed by the pair and remarked, "Hmm, I'm beginning to wonder who exactly the pervert is." Touji laughed, "Danger Shinji Ikari, danger, bitch detected in sector 4-A."

Shinji smirked, "Well you know how a redhead changes a lightbulb, Touji, she doesn't, she just bitches until someone else does it."

"_WHAT DID YOU SAY!!" _and with a swift kick to the most sensitive part of the male anatomy, Shinji dropped to the ground like a stone.

"_OHH SHI--"_ was the only thing Shinji heard as his friends raced down the hall and out of the building away from the German blitzkrieg.

Asuka glared down disapprovingly at Shinji as he lay in the fetal position on the classroom floor.

"Well third child, I guess I'm sorry, I didn't know you were such a wimp" Asuka whispered sarcastically.

Asuka offered her hand toward Shinji as he struggled to regain his composure and stance.

"Why do I feel like taking you up on your help isn't such a great idea?"

"Oh don't flatter yourself, I think I've embarrassed your womanhood enough today" Asuka grinned.

Asuka walked home beside the limping form of Shinji. They entered the apartment to find their guardian already knocking back a few cold _Kirins_.

"Good Afternoon, Misato, you're home early."

"Yeah the Commander said tha… _Shinji, what happened to you!?"_

Shinji grimaced, "Well I was fine until the toe of her shoe made contact with my pelvis, Misato"

"Asuka! What got into you!"

"Maybe someone should keep his mouth shut sometimes" replied Asuka.

"Well, don't worry Shinji, you don't need a sperm count to pilot Unit-1, or at least I think… I could have Ritsuko run some tests though…"

"No…no, really Misato, that's ok, I'll live" Shinji retreated to his room and slumped into his bed.

Asuka likewise proceeded to her room and plopped down at her desk. 'I did it again, I made a scene, I let him get to me and I lashed out…but…why…why does he always get to me like that? He's also been more confident, maybe he's finally growing a spine.'

Across the apartment in Shinji's room, Shinji lay nursing his injuries and thinking about the day. 'Asuka can be such a bitch sometimes, but I know that it's just a front. I've seen the real her a few times…maybe. Well, I guess I'll listen to that other CD.' Shinji rummaged through his book bag until he found the CD Daisuke had handed him on his way out of the band room. 'Hmm, well I guess I need a CD player… Misato might have one' Shinji thought.

Shinji ambled slowly to Misato's room, knocked once but upon hearing no answer entered the room. He found a sleeping Misato passed out on the floor with an unflattering puddle of drool collecting on the carpet in front of her mouth and crumpled beer cans littering the floor.

"Well, that's not surprising," Shinji remarked as he collected his passed out guardian in his arms and placed her gently in bed. Shinji pulled up the covers over Misato's form and glanced around her cluttered room. He spotted the boom box next to a pile of CD's. Shinji looked through the stack of CD's and saw some titles that caught his attention, gathering the boom box and the CD's in his hands he retreated from the room, dimming the lights, and pulling the door shut behind him.

Shinji placed the boom box on the floor next to his bed and began sorting through Misato's old CD's. He popped in a CD by a group named the _Barenaked Ladies_ cranked up the volume and lay back on his bed.

Down the hall in Asuka's room, the redhead was awoken from her nap by the sound of very peculiar music. She moved from her bed to the hallway, wiping the sleep from her eyes and yawning loudly. As she approached Shinji's room, she couldn't quite figure out what it was Shinji was listening to, it certainly wasn't the normal opera, cello suites, or melodramatic j-pop he typically had on his s-dat, and since when did he have a sound system?

Asuka knocked impatiently on the door, "Shinji, you aren't doing anything perverted in there are you?"

"Umm, no … just thinking." Shinji stared at the door as it opened and Asuka shuffled into the room.

"What song is that? It's kind of catchy, not that depressing crap you usually listen to."

Shinji deftly flipped the jewel case over in his hand and read the title of the song, "Hmm, it's called _Brian Wilson_, It kind of fits my mood because it seems he is also just lying in bed staring at ceiling tiles and thinking."

"So what's on the mind of the all-powerful Shinji Ikari?"

"I really wish you wouldn't say that. You say I'm the superhero, but I certainly don't feel like one," Shinji sighed.

"Well, maybe I say that because…" there was a slightly awkward pause, "Whatever idiot, I'm not going to feel sorry for you, goodnight."

And with that Asuka sauntered out of the room, leaving Shinji alone with his thoughts. 'Asuka really doesn't seem to care about me at all. I wonder if she actually hates me.'

_And if you want to find me I'll be out in the sandbox,  
Wondering where the hell all the love has gone.  
Playing my guitar and building castles in the sun,  
And singing fun, fun, fun._

Just then, Shinji received a message on his special edition _NERV _pager.

-Shinji if you're still able to walk we're in the band room –Kensuke

"Aww crap, first practice and I'm two hours late," Shinji collected the Jimmy Eat World CD and sprinted out of the room running headlong into Asuka as she carried a glass of water from the kitchen to her room.

"_SCHEISSE!!"_ Asuka exclaimed as she fell flat on her back and water splashed all over clothes.

Shinji once again found himself in a familiar position…literally…he was straddling the scantily clad form of Asuka Langley Sohryu, who was also dripping wet from the large glass of water that had been swiftly dumped on her upper chest.

"Ughh,..ugh… ugh," Shinji's stammering was abruptly ended by a swift slap across the face from the infuriated German girl.

Shinji's face stung from the blow, but he shook his head from side to side and he stood to run from the building, his legs propelled his body as if trying to outrun the string of german curses hurled at him, yelling a sarcastic, "Sorry, Asuka!!" over his shoulder as he sprinted to the school.


	4. Chapter 4

I don't own anything but the story line.

--

Shinji excitedly bounded into the band room clutching his CD and eagerly anticipating the practice which was about to begin.

"Hey Shinji, certainly took you a while," quipped Kensuke.

"I know, let's get to work, there's not much time as it is. I think I have the perfect song for the talent show. It's by this old band named _Jimmy Eat World_."

"Hmm, never heard of them," Touji shrugged.

Shinji moved across the room to the band department's stereo system and placed the CD in the player. The opening chords drifted melodically out of the surround sound system. The song played on and seemed to catch the young men in a trance, as no word was spoken until the final notes faded away.

"Well, that's sort of depressing isn't it," chuckled Touji.

"Oh, I don't think so, I think it's emotional, but not necessarily depressing. After all, this is about Shinji's feelings not yours Touji," remarked Kensuke.

Shinji firmly replied, "Well, that's the song I picked, so let's see what we can do. We should be able to use the computer to find out just how to play this song."

Shinji moved across the room to the computer and began looking up basic tablature for the song.

"Ok, got it guys," Shinji printed out the tablature and walked back over to his friends. The boys unloaded the drum set and bass guitar from the back room, and spent the better part of a half hour assembling the set and setting up the amp levels.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm exhausted, let's just pack it all back up and start over tomorrow," Touji laughed.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that you're motivated, Touji," said Shinji.

They listened to the song a few more times, as Shinji practiced the new finger picking style he would have to use while playing the electric bass.

Despite Shinji's enthusiasm to learn the new instrument, his patience dwindled, "You know, this isn't as easy as you said it would be, Kensuke."

Kensuke shifted his gaze towards the irritated boy and adjusted his glasses, "Neither is love, Senor Don Juan."

Shinji said nothing and simply continued to pluck away at the strings.

--

Touji was doing fairly well with his tablature, having already played through the song multiple times and seemed to have mastered the chord progressions.

Just then, the door opened and Daisuke stepped into the room, "Well if it isn't the next greatest sensation in school talent show history."

Shinji chuckled, "Well we're trying."

"Let me see what you're working with," Daisuke walked over to the boys and looked over their tablature and observed, "You know, you're missing a musical instrument, right?"

"What's that?"

"Well, a synthesizer of course. It's what provides most of that subtly dark mood that you like so much, Shinji."

"That sucks, I didn't even realize that."

"Nice one," Touji added sarcastically under his breath.

"Haha, well don't fear boys, I actually happen to be quite proficient at all things keyboard, and my schedule just cleared up," Daisuke exclaimed.

"That's very nice of you, but I can't ask you to waste time helping us with a talent show when you obviously have much more important things to do."

"I see no greater calling than that of helping a boy trapped in the snares of unrequited love," Daisuke exclaimed.

Shinji sweat dropped, "Oh God."

"Well, I don't mean to be that dramatic, but you know what I mean."

"Not really, but let's actually start practicing anyway," Shinji returned his attention to his instrument.

A few minutes later.

-"Ok, Daisuke, you set up?" - "Yep, all systems are go."

-"Kensuke, you got the beat?" - "Roger that zero-one." - "Shut-up Kensuke."

-"Touji, amp is on?" - "Aye Cap'n." -"What is with you guys?"

Three…two…one

Touji's hands slid along the frets and the first notes strummed through the amp. After a few seconds Daisuke's fingers keyed the first synthesizer chords and the sound flowed all around. Kensuke dropped the beat almost perfectly given his inexperience and managed to keep up with the rest of the band. Shinji momentarily forgot what he was doing and frantically found where they were on the tablature and joined in, hesitantly at first, but his confidence grew as the measures flew by. His voice chimed in on the beat…

"I-I felt for sure last night  
That once we said goodbye  
No one else will know these lonely dreams  
No one else will know that part of me  
I'm still driving away  
And I'm sorry every day  
I won't always love these selfish things  
I won't always live...  
Not stopping..."

Shinji stammered at first but gradually his voice rang loud, confident and clear through the microphone. The cymbals clashed and the snare popped in the background as the band played on.

The last notes sounded and the synthesizer faded out.

Daisuke jumped from his seat, moved by the spectacle, "Wow, that was amazing! I've never heard a teenage band sound like that!"

Shinji beamed as he wiped the sweat from his brow, "It worked, it actually worked."

"Yeah, except for the fact that you didn't play more than four measures of bass that entire song, Shinji," Touji grinned.

Shinji in his nervous state had forgotten to play his part for the rest of the song.

"Well, I'll work on that, as for now, I think that's enough for tonight."

Kensuke spoke up, "Yeah, and Shinji great job with the vocals that was really good."

"You were no slouch on the drums either, I just listened to the song a lot, and I guess I sort of memorized the pitches."

The boys packed up the instruments and agreed that the next practice would happen as soon as everyone had a free schedule. Touji even suggested that they visit his sister in the hospital to screen the song before the talent show.

Shinji entered Misato's apartment at close to 12:30 am, as he had been so excited about the performance that he felt he had to get some energy out of his system. He couldn't quite explain the feeling, but he felt that he had to move and when he moved, he couldn't seem to move enough. He sprinted down the streets of Tokyo-3, watching as store windows rushed by his field of vision, laughing and racing his shadow down the well-lit deserted streets. Visions of grandeur and previously unimaginable success danced in his head.

When he advanced further into the apartment, he noticed that a light flickered on and off in the adjacent room, he walked into the room only to find Asuka's scantily clad form lying peacefully on the sofa in front of the television. "She must have fallen asleep watching the news."

The middle-aged news reporter spoke of problems that seemed so far removed from Shinji's current perceptions. Only one thing was on his mind, earning the respect and love of the young woman before him. Shinji stumbled in the dark towards the hall closet and removed a pillow and blanket from the top shelf, delicately placing the pillow behind the redhead's neck, and spreading the blanket over her poorly clothed form, being ever so careful not to wake her and evoke the wrath of the beautiful yet dangerous sleeping dragon. 'She looks so beautiful when she sleeps,' thought Shinji as he moved away towards his room, "And harmless… I tell you I never played house as a kid, but I'm more than making up for it now," he chuckled to himself.

Shinji drifted effortless off to sleep, and when he dreamt, he dreamt only of her.

A/N- Let me know how you think the story is going, I'll update as soon as I can.


	5. Chapter 5

Asuka awoke with a start in the early morning hours. She remembered falling asleep in front of the TV, but had no recollection of getting a blanket and pillow from the closet. She knew immediately that it had been the work of her reclusive roommate. "That idiot," she whispered with almost a hint of suppressed affection. Asuka strode across the carpet toward her room, subtly glancing at Shinji's closed door and sighing as she passed through the hall. Her bed was a complete disaster; the bed linen was strewn across the room. Sheets of classical music littered the floor revealing her frantic attempts to win the talent show and definitively beat Shinji. Slumping down on the mattress she looked up at the blank ceiling and just stared for a while. Minutes crawled by as she her mind drew a complete blank. Music had proved to not be her forte, as she could not play any instrument except the violin, and it had been a while since she had played back in college. "What am I going to do?" she mused aloud.

Time passed and the talent show drew within a week. The band practices continued as usual, with Shinji practicing in his room late at night so as not to disturb his roommates, and Asuka, who had apparently resigned to simply watch Shinji embarrass himself, seemed to just watch tv. Misato seemed completely oblivious to the strange behavior of her counterparts, but then again, maybe that was just her constant drunk stupor.

It was yet another awkward dinner at the Katsuragi apartment, Shinji had just returned from a late band practice only to find his two very hungry and very impatient roommates.

All the way up the long road to the apartment he had thought about the concert and how he had finally made a breakthrough with his playing skill. He wasn't great, but he was plenty good enough to impress Asuka, or so he thought. It was that constant nagging self-doubt which had hindered him early on. He resigned himself to no longer think of failure. The band had practiced the encore piece "Sweetness," ad nauseum and he had decided they were ready.

"Sorry I'm late, I brought pizza." Shinji motioned to the box he had dropped on the table edge.

"Hmm… well at least it's not more frozen food, or even worse, your cooking, Misato."

"Hey!" Misato shouted in mock-anger.

"Where were you anyway, Shinji? You've been disappearing every time I look around," Misato asked with a rather curious expression.

"Umm, nothing… just a school project," mumbled Shinji.

"Well that doesn't sound suspicious at all, who knows what perverted things he's up to. Knowing him he's probably been raiding the girls locker room or helping Kensuke film his dirty home movies," Asuka sneered.

Suddenly he fixed an angry glare on Asuka, "NO! That's not it at all, maybe I happen to be doing something for myself for a change instead of being your personal maid and cleaning up 

after all of your crap!" Throwing the chair back as he sprung to his feet, Shinji stormed off to his room.

"Geez, what's his problem. Prima donna."

"I don't know if it's his problem, Asuka" Misato sighed, grabbed a six pack and disappeared into her room.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean! Come back here and explain yourself!" But, her voice went unheard.

Shinji did not even know why he had exploded like that. 'I'm doing all this work to earn her respect but I have had to wait so long …ah well it's only a week…but I want her to know now…'

Shinji drifted off to a fitful night's sleep.

-A week went by in the blink of an eye. The band played at the dress rehearsal with quite a few technical errors, so Shinji had called an emergency practice the night before the concert.-

Shinji ambled into his room, tired from the practice 'Wow, I can't believe it's here. It's finally time.' Shinji sat on his bed and started strumming blissfully away on his bass eagerly anticipating the next day's show. Suddenly, without warning, Asuka burst into the room, "Aha, what's this? Is this for the talent show tomorrow? I had expected as much, is the _invincible_ Shinji hoping to show everyone else up and take home the grand prize?" Asuka sneered.

"Yes it is, I'm surprised you're not performing, and it's not any monetary prize I'm hoping for."

"Oh but I am competing, and you should be concerned because you aren't going to win anything."

"I'm surprised you'd lower yourself to our level oh great one" Shinji replied sarcastically.

"Well without me it would just be you and your pathetic attempt at music."

"Wow, you don't have to be modest around me," Shinji's sarcasm continued.

"Well somebody has to make up for you being such a spineless wimp all the damn time."

"Don't blame your heinous bitchy attitude on me you insensitive, insecure little girl!" Shinji almost shouted.

Asuka suddenly snapped, "You think you know me, don't you judge me you bastard! You're nothing, you'll never be anything! I hate you!"

Shinji's face went blank, as if his mind had completely shut down. His legs trembled as he stood, he looked Asuka square in the eyes as his own started to well with tears. He only managed to spit out "You…you…" as he turned and ran out of the apartment into the pouring rain. Asuka fell to the floor and shrank back on herself. She just kept repeating "I didn't want that… I didn't want that."

Misato watched quietly from the kitchen, "I don't think anyone did," she whispered.

Shinji walked with his head down through the streets of Tokyo 3, rain soaked through his clothes and dripped down his face, mixing with the tears streaming from his anguished eyes.

"She never cared and she never will, so I'm never going back!" Shinji shouted into the ominous night sky. He paced over the wet concrete to the nearest bench and sat. He knew it was all hopeless and he would never be happy. "I wish I'd never been born!"

"Oh well you mustn't wish that Shinji!" The voice startled Shinji so much that he fell off of the bench into a puddle of muddy water.

A hand extended down to the distraught boy. "Kaji! What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'd say the whole brooding at night in the middle of the rain is sort of a guy thing, oh and section 2 told me where you were" Kaji pointed his thumb toward a black van on the corner.

"If so, then what are you brooding about?"

"Oh, a lot of things Shinji, life, love, the choices we make that change it all, but what about you, you've got your whole life ahead of you, you're too young to be cursing your own existence."

"It's Asuka, I want to be with her, and help her deal with her pain, but I can't seem to get through to her. Whenever I speak to her I just seem to hurt her and I'm so afraid to show her my feelings, because I'm so sure she'll destroy me."

"Shinji, no one wants a life filled with fear, worry and complications but that's what life is. Life is about taking those chances, putting yourself out there, and those that reject you are not worthy of your affection or effort. I've learned this the hard way, I truly envy you Shinji, you've got such great inner strength and undiscovered love. I'm not saying Asuka will definitely return your feelings, but I'd say you've got the best chance anyone could possibly hope for."

"I guess…I just don't have the strength to face her tomorrow."

"What have you got to lose by performing tomorrow?"

"My dignity, and my head"

"Nonsense, your band sounds great, and I'll hide the sharp objects"

"How did you know about the…?"

"Here come back to my place, we'll have some beers and get that confidence of yours back."

"Ok, well maybe just one."

"Also, it'll give Asuka a chance to let you leaving really sink in, don't worry I'll call Katsuragi and she'll play along. Don't be so glum Shinji, these next couple of days you'll remember forever" Kaji smiled.

"Thanks, Kaji, for being there."

"No problem, Shinji, it's kind of a guy thing."

And with that Kaji and Shinji went back to his apartment to unwind and strategize how the events of the next day would play out.


	6. Chapter 6

Meanwhile, back at the Katsuragi apartment, Misato paced the kitchen floor. She was visibly concerned and nervously glanced at the clock on the wall. It had been hours since Shinji had fled the apartment. 'I certainly hope he hasn't gone and done something stupid…' As if on cue, the phone began to ring, breaking the eerie silence that had settled in the apartment. Misato's hands trembled as she reached for the phone, knowing it could not be good news.

_-Hello_

_+Hey Katsuragi, it's me_

_-Kaji? What's the big idea calling this late?_

_+What, I can't call and check up on you, beautiful? Plus, I know erp the whereabouts of the one you call Shinji."_

_-What!? Where is he!?_

_+He's right here. Say something Shinj- Hey Mis-aaaa-to what's ha-aaa-ppenin_

_-Are you two DRUNK!!_

_+Absolutely not, scout's honor._

_-I know very well that you were never a scout, nor do you have anything remotely resembling honor._

_+You got me there, we've only had a fee-ew. I was thinking you could sort of play along you shee, we need to makasuka jealooos for Shinji, yasee?_

_-What? I can't understand you._

_+Cover for Shinji, ok? _

_-Oh, ok, well you boys have fun, but within reason, I'll cover for you, but Shinji's going to class tomorrow, no hangover excuses._

_-Sweet! MORE SAKE BOMBS!!_

Misato hung up the phone and allowed herself a brief smile, 'There are worse places he could have ended up.'

A few hours later, at close to 3:30 in the morning, Asuka emerged from her room, clearly distraught with the signs of sleep deprivation. Misato sat at the kitchen table in front of her countless Test Procedure Specification reports, somehow miraculously still awake.

"Hey, is Shinji back yet?"

"No Asuka, we've sent section 2 out looking for him, but they haven't been able to find him yet, you must've really gotten to him…" Misato kept serious and suppressed a smirk.

Asuka looked blankly off into the distance, "That idiot," she said softly, turned and walked back into her room.

Misato shrugged, "At least she showed close to something… Now I can _finally _get some sleep" and with that she immediately passed out smacking her head hard against the kitchen table.

The next morning…

Actually more like …

Afternoon

Kaji slowly opened his eyes, a can of _Kirin Ichiban_ totally obscured his vision. His hands pushed the floor as he raised his aching body among the wreckage. There were literally dozens of beer cans strewn all over his rug, an empty bottle of sake and an unsightly buffalo sauce smear on the sofa. 'Ugh, I can't believe we ate all those wings…' Kaji ran to the bathroom and promptly orally deposited said wings into the toilet bowl. He emerged from the bathroom and slowly ambled back into the room, where he saw the form of Shinji lying half way inside a closet in the hallway. 'Oh to be young again,' he chuckled. The clock slowly came into focus, and Kaji suddenly snapped out of his stupor.

"SHIT! SHINJI! GET UP!! WE GOTTA GO!!"

Shinji bolted upright and started running but completely lost balance and face planted into the carpet.

"Pull yourself together, soldier, we've got a girl's heart to win!" Kaji yelled.

"Oh my god, shut up" moaned Shinji gripping his head.

"Sorry, I'll get you something for that hangover," Kaji sprinted into the kitchen pulled out a blender, a banana, one and a half cups of soy milk, two tablespoons of honey, threw them together and ran back out with the mixture still in the blender bowl.

Shinji drank the remedy, "You know, that's not bad, what is it?"

"Ancient banana miracle shake hangover recipe."

"Have you been rehearsing that?"

"Let's just say I've used it a lot. Well that's not important what is important is that you're on in less than an hour."

"WHAT!!" Shinji immediately fished his NERV pager out of his pocket and found 10 missed pages. "We have to go NOW!"

And with that the two men ran to Kaji's car and took off toward the school.

Less than 15 minutes later they had arrived and Shinji took off toward the band room.

Meanwhile Touji and Kensuke sat in the band room with Daisuke, dejectedly. "Do you think he really chickened out after all that work and planning?" Touji asked. "I don't know, but I am worried, Asuka's been looking for him all day, and she looked more concerned than she ever has before." Daisuke looked at the two disapprovingly, "Don't look down guys; I'm sure he'll come running in here at the last second."

Just then, the double doors flew open and Shinji stumbled into the room panting, "Ok, let's do it, it's go time."

"See," Daisuke sighed.

"Umm, great, but there's a huge stain on your shirt and you smell like a bag of ass" laughed Touji.

"Yeah, what exactly _were_ you up to last night, Shinji?" asked Kensuke.

"It's well, sort of a long story, but needless to say I'm ready to play this set, so let's get out there and do our thing. Oh, and I'm going to need your over shirt Touji."

"Ah, man, I can't rock the tank top!"

And with that, the boys furiously unpacked their instruments and began final preparations for the performance.

Kaji strolled absent mindedly around the school building toward the makeshift stage set up in the courtyard; a dance team was currently performing and seemed to be doing a great job boring the crowd to tears. "Well, this should be interesting," he flipped his sunglasses on and sat down in the back. Through his shades, he saw Asuka in the front row, sitting next to Hikari with a distant look in her eyes. "My, my, will she be surprised," laughed Kaji to himself, but quickly stopped and struggled to suppress a dry heave. "Ugh… never again… no more sake bombs."

Shinji and company stood poised on the outskirts of the stage watching the act before them finish up their baton twirling routine. Shinji's knees were already shaking with anticipation, Touji looked like a predator closing in for the kill gripping his axe tightly between his hands, and Kensuke just looked like he was going to pee himself. Daisuke seemed completely unfazed and confident. Shinji knew he had to be act like that today, and focused his energy on remaining calm. Shinji looked back at the three of them and flashed a smile, but then lurched suddenly grabbing his stomach… "Oh, God, sake bombs…"

"You gonna be ok Shinji?" a worried Touji asked.

Shinji nodded, "I'll feel better once we get out there."

_And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have a band who will be performing some pre-impact songs, please give a warm welcome to 'SHINJI EAT WORLD!'"_

Shinji looked at his three friends, "But I never named the.."

"We submitted it for you, we are your band," said Touji.

Kensuke grinned, "You were the bond that made this all possible,"

"So what do you say Shinji, shall we take some names?" beamed Daisuke.

"Really only one I'm concerned about. Let's do it."

The band strode out onto the stage amidst moderate applause. The audience was far too dead to elicit a loud applause. Taking up positions behind their instruments, they looked at each other and shared a brief nod.

Shinji stepped up to the microphone, gripping the neck of his bass in his left hand and the microphone handle in the other. He spent a brief moment searching the crowd. Among them he saw, Kaji shooting a thumbs up next to Misato who looked noticeably uncomfortable, Hikari who looked shocked, and Asuka who actually appeared to show a brief smile before quickly replacing it with a scowl.

He spoke with confidence into the microphone, "This song is for a girl, who though she doesn't know it, means everything to me."

A few whoops and cat calls sounded from the crowd along with the amazed murmurs of the majority of the class. Girls turned to each other asking who they thought it could be.

Shinji sighed, and turned around facing his band, he slowly began the count…

_1_

_2_

_3_

_4_

Touji stepped forward toward the crowd, as his fingers moved expertly up and down the frets powering the first notes of the song out of his amp and into the ears of the audience.

As if enraptured, the crowd suddenly went silent and all eyes and ears turned and focused on the stage.

Daisuke's hands keyed the first ominous undertones and set the mood immediately. Shinji fingered the bass notes and strummed along, feeling the anguish and heartache that this song reminded him of. He swallowed a few times then, turned around to face the crowd and approach the microphone. The faces seemed longing, anxious to see what he could do. He would not disappoint.

His mouth moved close to the mic and he softly began

_I felt for sure last night  
That once we said goodbye _–Shinji remembered how last night had rent his soul and instead of cowering away, he used that pain to fuel his voice._  
No one else will know these lonely dreams  
No one else will know that part of me –_The part of him that had kept his feelings hidden for so long, his weakness._  
I'm still driving away  
And I'm sorry every day  
I won't always love these selfish things  
I won't always live...  
Not stopping..._

Shinji felt the second stanza approaching and rallied his strength. His voice had almost cracked under the weight of his words.

_It was my turn to decide  
I knew this was our time  
No one else will have me like you do  
No one else will have me, only you –_He knew he had chosen this time, it was their time, he locked onto Asuka's eyes and saw something he could've sworn was a glint of emotion.

_You'll sit alone forever  
If you wait for the right time  
What are you hoping for?  
I'm here I'm now I'm ready  
Holding on tight  
Don't give away the end  
The one thing that stays mine_

_Amazing still it seems  
I'll be 23  
I won't always love what I'll never have  
I won't always live in my regrets_ –Shinji's gaze was still locked onto Asuka, and he saw her visibly break down, as if her walls had come crashing down around her. He allowed himself a smile, 'She knows it's for her, she has to.' _  
_

Touji gave Shinji a quick tap on the back as he stepped forward for the guitar solo, he dropped to his knees and hammered on his frets as the mellow notes tore through the court yard.

_You'll sit alone forever  
If you wait for the right time  
What are you hoping for?  
I'm here I'm now I'm ready  
Holding on tight  
Don't give away the end  
The one thing that stays mine…_

Shinji hung his head and stepped back from the microphone as the last notes faded out and rang out from the stage into the now packed court yard beyond.

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience as they cheered, but Shinji only noticed Asuka, who sat on the ground with her head in her hands, evidently crying.

Shinji knew what he had to do, he reached for the mic, looked back once at his band, they shared the nod again, "Now that I have your attention." Shinji took a deep breath and ROARED over the crowd

_**If you're listening**  
Whoa..._

Touji slammed on his guitar rocking out the call and answer_  
Sing it back  
Whoa..._

Kensuke's hands flew as he finally got a chance to stretch his arms, hammering out the beat._  
String from your tether unwinds _

Touji stepped up to the mic beside Shinji and echoed _String from your tether unwinds  
Whoa, Whoa  
Up and outward to bind_

_Up and outward to bind_

Touji and Shinji were a powerhouse on the mic perfectly matching each other._  
Whoa, Whoa_

I was spinning free  
Whoa…  
With a little sweet and simple numbing me

Are you listening?  
Whoa...  
Sing it back  
Whoa...  
So tell me what do I need?

_So tell me what do I need?  
Whoa, Whoa  
When words lose their meaning?  
Whoa, Whoa_

I was spinning free  
Whoa...  
With a little sweet and simple numbing me

Stumble till you crawl  
Whoa  
Sinking into sweet uncertainty

Shinji wasn't sure that he had ever been sure about anything in his life, but this, he knew, was certain.

oooooo, oooooo, oooooo, oooooo  
ahhhhh, ahhhhh, ahhhhh, ahhhhh

Daisuke's hands hit the keys like pistons

Are you listening?

Shinji grinned knowing what he was about to do…

_Are you listening, Asuka?  
__**  
WHEN YOU KISS ME**__  
Whoa... If you're listening, are you listening?  
Sing it back  
Whoa... If you're listening, are you listening?  
Now I'm not running away _

Touji shot Shinji a confused glance but repeated his line anyway

_Now I'm not running away  
Whoa, Whoa  
I won't play your hide and seek game _

_I won't play your hide and seek game  
Whoa, Whoa_

Eventually, the drums slammed and the final guitar chord faded out amidst the raucous applause of the crowd, which was now teeming with teachers and students from all over the school who had heard of the amazing performance.

Daisuke, Shinji, Touji, and Kensuke walked forward grasped eachothers sweat-drenched hands and took a bow.

Shinji looked at his fellow band members, "I think you guys can take it from here, I've got some business to attend to."

"We've got you, Shinji" they said in unison.

"Oh, and nice changing up the words on me, you jackass," joked Touji.

"You know you liked it," Shinji laughed and ran off stage practically tossing aside his bass, and plunging into the crowd.


End file.
